Look at all three of my babies.
This year, I moved from a standard notebook system to a three-ringed binder. A loyal follower of the Traveler’s Notebook system for nearly a decade, I was hesitant at the start. Though I found the TN system more agile than a Leuchtturm 1917 or a Rhodia Web Notebook, I still needed a system that contoured to my needs, a notebook that catered to my fragmented train of thought.
My brain doesn’t move like a train on rails. I imagine it is like a rally car race. Faced with difficult terrain and conditions, you need varied techniques to navigate through treacherous paths, winding curves, and slick straight ways.
Much like a rally driver and their car, I demand much from my notebook. Here are some of my uses cases.
A jotter for quick notes
Quote and passage collector for a commonplace book
Planner
A quick journal
Word sketcher - like an artist sketching their surroundings for practice, I like to describe the scene around me and make up stories for the strangers that inhabit the scene.
Project manager, meeting tracker, and other work duties.
The list could go on and on.
While not a perfect system, Plotter checks many of my boxes. So much so that I own three Plotters: a Mini 5, Bible Size, and the A5.
Mini 5
I like to keep a poem in my Mini 5 planner.
The Mini 5 Plotter replaced my wallet. It solved the problem of me carrying a notebook everywhere I go. It carries my essential cards, along with an RFID blocker. YOu can never be too careful.
This is the only Plotter I own where I use the zipper pockets. I use the pockets to carry small cash, receipts, an Airtag, and refills for my Kaweco Lilliput Ballpoint.
The Liliput is the only pen I own that can fit in the slim Mini 5 pen holder. It annoyed me at first, but it kept my system small. Despite for my love of fountain pens, I know their flaws. They are not for quick notes. The Liliput has an Energel refill, which still gives me a great writing experience.
How I use my Mini 5
Since it’s now my wallet, I carry it everywhere. It is the Plotter I pick up the most. My notebook contains a to-do list, followed by dot-grid pages for notes. Once I transfer those notes to my other Plotters or calendar, I dispose of the page.
I also carry a small set of refills in my bag so I don’t run out on the go.
Plotter Bible Size
My handwriting is terrible when I’m drafting.
Honestly, I’m not sure why they call it Bible Size. Slightly narrower than an A6 notebook, it enhances its portability.
I call this my “personal planner.” Anything that is outside my day job lives in this Plotter, from creative pursuits like poetry and story ideas to event planners and trackers. In fact, I wrote the draft of this blog on my Bible Plotter first.
On the back of my personal Plotter, you’ll find the 2025 calendar. I use it to give me an overview of my coming days.
How I use my Bible Size Plotter
This is my most agile of my Plotters. I constantly change out paper formats, whether lined, plain, or dot grid. While planning out Zine Fest Houston, this plotter was full of poems.
Beyond a poetry journal, I fill the pages with book quotes, impromptu journaling, and more. What separates this from the Mini 5 Plotter is that I use the Bible size with more intention. While the smaller one acts like a brain dump, this one is where I organize my thoughts.
That is the strength of this system. I can make it to whatever I need it to be.
A5 Plotter
Only Plotter with tabs.
The most rigid and organized Plotter, I use my A5 strictly for my day job. Unlike the other two, I have specific dividers for each section. Each tab coincides with the GTD system.
While I hate “optimization culture,” the GTD system helps me keep my thoughts together. In short, the GTD system asks you to gather all thoughts and requests in an inbox. Then you translate what’s actionable so you can easily create the next steps. I divided my A5 Plotter as such:
Inbox: Captures all thoughts, meetings, requests, etc.
Next: After I look through my inbox and decide what’s actionable, I list it in my to-do or track delegation.
Project: Long term items with multiple tasks.
Reference: Items that are not actionable, yet needed to keep top of mind.
I’m being vague about my work, since it’s none ya business.
Last, towards the end is another calendar which I track big events, vacations, and launches. This only gives me a bird's-eye view as I still rely on my Outlook Calendar for my day to day.
Fresh calendar, ohh yeah
I love my Plotters. They’ve blended seamlessly into my life and filled in gaps. They are also fucking beautiful and a joy to use. Are they expensive? Yes. Could I have used a more affordable and practical system? Absolutely. But as a fountain pen user, I know practicality doesn’t always lead to joy.